After a career stretching more than 40 years in finance, including 13 years as chief financial officer at Glanbia, Mark Garvey is set to retire next year.
Due to depart on the 30 April 2027, the move will see him pass the baton to current digital and transformation officer, Wendy Chang Smith.
Smith was previously CFO of Glanbia’s Performance Nutrition segment – a role she held for three and half years. Prior to this, she held senior finance positions across a number of FMCG giants, including Amazon, Kellogg, Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble, working in the US, Europe and Asia.
Garvey’s announcement sees her takes on the role of CFO Designate effective immediately, with her appointment as CFO and an executive director on the company’s board to occur on 31 March 2027.
Commenting on his retirement on Linked In, Garvey said: “It has been a privilege to serve Glanbia’s shareholders, board and people through a period of real transformation.
“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and of the strong financial foundation the group stands on today. The most rewarding part though, has been the people – I am incredibly thankful for the trust placed in me and for the exceptional colleagues (current as well as former) I’ve had the pleasure of working with and learning from.
“I’m also delighted to congratulate Wendy Chang Smith on her appointment as Glanbia’s CFO Designate. Having worked closely with Wendy for a number of years, I know the group’s finances will be in excellent hands — she brings a strong combination of deep finance experience as well as digital and transformation expertise. I wish Wendy every success in her new role.
“Plenty still to do between now and April – I look forward to working closely with Wendy in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition and to planning the next chapter in due course.”
Hugh McGuire, CEO at Glanbia, offered his congratulations to Smith.
“Wendy is a trusted leader within the company and brings significant finance, digital and transformation experience gained across the consumer branded and retail sectors,” he said.
“Her experience will be invaluable as we continue to execute our strategy, invest for growth and maintain our strong focus on financial discipline and delivering long-term value for shareholders.”
He continued: “I would also like to warmly thank Mark for his outstanding leadership and significant contribution to Glanbia over the past 13 years.
“He has led the financial stewardship of the group through a period of significant change with a strong focus on disciplined capital allocation and cash generation that has enabled Glanbia to invest in growth and deliver strong returns to our shareholders.
“Mark leaves Glanbia on a firm financial footing, with an exceptionally strong balance sheet and well positioned for the future.”
